Dialogo chairs by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia - 1974

Afra e Tobia Scarpa, Black leather ‘dialogo’ chairs, B&B Italia, Italy 1974. A gorgeous combination of a walnut frame with black original leather seating. We do have an expert in house upholstery in case you prefer another type of fabric.

Afra Bianchin was born in Montebelluna in 1937 and Tobia Scarpa in Venice in 1935. They graduated at the istituto universitario d’architettura in Venice and formed one of the most successful and known professional associations. In 1958 they began working in the glass field with Venini in Murano. In 1960 they started working with Gavina; the “Bastiano” sofa and the “Vanessa” metal bed – now in the knoll international collection – being their most successful pieces. With Cassina, where they designed furniture exclusively for the house, success came with “Soriana” armchair, which won the compasso d'Or award in 1970, and the “925” armchair, which is on permanent display in the museum of modern art in New York. In 1960 they joined Flos and worked as designers with the Castiglioni. Their best-known piece for B&B Italia are the “Coronado” and the “Erasmo”. For Maxalto they designed a whole collection of very fine furniture. They did the “Torcello” system, which is still on the market today, for stildomus. For Molteni they did the “Morna” bed, while for Unifor the “Master” series of manager’s furniture. They were also responsible for the Benetton image in Europe and in America. In architecture they designed the Benetton woolens mill and offices in Ponzano, the Scarpa house and the Lorenzin house in Abano Terme, they restored the villa Minelli and the fragiacomo house in Trieste. Their designs are on show in the principal museums of the world and have been chosen for all major international shows.